Denise A. Martinez, MD

Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa

Dr. Denise A. Martinez is an Associate Professor and clinician in the Department of Family Medicine as well as the Assistant Dean of the Office of Cultural Affairs and Diversity Initiative at the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. She is currently the faculty advisor for the Student National Medical Association, a medical student association focused on minority health. She also led the charge to create the Latino Medical Student Association, and the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students, of which both groups are thriving today. Through her work with students, she earned the prestigious Hawkeye Award for Faculty Adviser of the Year for the entire University of Iowa in 2014. Additional, is the Primary Investigator for the Summer Health Professions Educations Program (SHPEP) at the University of Iowa. This is a free summer program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for 80 undergraduates yearly that helps minority and underrepresented students gain the skills that they need to enter health professional school.

Dr. Martinez was also selected to lead University of Iowa Health Care with the implementation and incorporation of CultureVision, a cultural competency software to help create a more inclusive healthcare network for patients. Dr. Martinez has been a champion for cultural competence within University of Iowa Health Care.

Dr. Martinez is also the Medical Director for the University of Iowa Mobile Clinics, a free health clinic system run by health professional students. These clinics serve over 500 patients yearly providing free care to local Latinx populations. She is Co-PI on a HRSA grant for 1.3 million dollars this year that will provide free counseling services through Mobile Clinic to local Latinx propulations.

Since her arrival to Iowa in 2008, Dr. Martinez has been an active participant in many diversity and inclusion activities across campus. Her professional interests include cultural competence education, chronic disease management, and women’s health/obstetrics. She earned her B.A. degree in Biology from Seattle Pacific University and her M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine. She currently serves of the Board of Trustees at Seattle Pacific University.